It’s time for another episode of the Improv Challenge…hosted by our wonderful blogger friend, Kristen, of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker. February’s assigned ingredients were Carrots and Ginger…and the first thing that came to mind was carrot cake whoopie pies. My whoopie pie tin had been gathering dust and it was definitely time to attempt a new version. A non-chocolate dessert doesn’t get many accolades from the guys in the family…so these will be stored in the freezer for me and Katie to snack on when we get an urge….and shared with my friends. I don’t mind hoarding these for myself! They were wonderful. I left out the coconut, but that and nuts can certainly be added, depending on your preference.
Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies…adapted from Whoopie Pies
1 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup grated carrots
1/4 cup shredded coconut, optional
Cream Cheese Filling:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt to combine. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugars in a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment till light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and mix till combined, scraping down sides as needed. Mix in dry ingredients and mix till just combined. Add carrots and coconut if using. Chill batter at least one hour.
Using cookie disher, scoop out about 2 tablespoons of batter onto baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake 20 minutes or till cakes spring back when gently touched. Cool on pan 5 minutes before removing to cooling rack.
Make filling by creaming together butter and cream cheese. Sift in the powdered sugar and continue beating till light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla.
To assemble, spread filling onto flat side of one cake. Top it with another, flat side down. Repeat with other cakes. May also use pastry bag to pipe filling.
Makes about 15.
And a big shout out to my sweet and hilarious friend, Ping, of Ping’s Pickings, for two lovely blogger awards. Thank you so much!!!! Please check out her fabulous blog and show her some love~
{ 76 comments… read them below or add one }
Mmm ginger is one of my favorite cookie flavors. (I love how you snuck a little carrot in these!) They are the perfect size for some indulgent snacking…
These are adorable! And how fun to see carrot-ginger combo in a dessert, nice!
What a perfect combo of carrot and ginger and then the yummy spread of cheese inside.
I absolutely love this recipe! Carrot and ginger together are a superb combination. In fact, I had a carrot ginger muffin this morning and was in heaven. Yum yum triple yum!
What a terrific combo, you girls are so creative!
These look fantastic. So soft and chewy with a delicious filling.
Oh! We’re twins, almost… (except for you’re a skinny cook, & I am not!)
I really loved my sandwich cookies, but alas, my guys did not — so I’ll probably never make them again.
I liked that you added a touch of coconut to your recipe. That would add another layer of texture & flavor. mmmmmmmmmm!
Whoopie! … thanks for the mention, Lizzy!
Well, yeah, this sounds a lot better than a 2-bite cookie … less dangerous, but then, can I really stop at 5?
I tend to prefer the non-chocolate desserts so I would be happy hoarding these for myself too.
If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to check out my Improv Cooking Challenge entry: Shrimp & Avocado Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing
Lisa~~
Cook Lisa Cook
I’m not usually one who craves whoppie pies like I do most other desserts, but my goodness, carrot-ginger with cream cheese filling? I’m craving – big time!
I knew you’d come up with some wonderfully sweet concoction with carrot and ginger! Great creation!
Very creative work on this challenge. Not only do I love the size of these, but I am sure they taste fabulous! Have a great day Liz!
Hi Lizzy,
My blog has been blocked due to someone reporting on spamming to it. Therefore my is not existing for time being and have been writing to google aimlessly for the past 4 hours to rectify this. It may take 7 days or so. I will keep in touch with meanwhile via your blog.
This is a whoopie pie I could really sink my teeth into!
A perfect recipe to break out the whoopie tin. These look great: carrot and ginger is a perfect match.
Everyone loves whoopee pies and the carrot and ginger bring them over the top.
A semi-carrot cake whoopie pie. I am noting this because I’ve never had a whoopie pie (shhh) but now it may be in my future. Love the combination of carrot and ginger.
I love ginger cookies too and combined with coconut sound every better. These whoopie pies look terrific!
oh, what fun! and healthier than most cookies, I’d wager!
Gasp! You left out the coconut!?!
Teasing, of course, I just love coconut so much. These do look wonderful though. I have yet to make whoopie pies, but I do love eating them!
I love that these were the FIRST thing that came to your mind! I totally would’ve thought carrot cake – you’re much more creative
Love these!
Carrot and ginger and cream filling? Love it.
Until now I have thought carrot cake was the only carrot sweet dish that existed! These pies look excellent! I must try them before the carrots become “passé”.
wow ginger cookies..i love ginger recipe
These look great Lizzy! I love that you can see the carrot peeking through. The carrot with cream cheese filling must be amazing…mmm. I need to get a whoopie pie pan, I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen one before!
Oooo, I am going to have to try making these with Splenda so that my husband can eat some. He is an absolute fiend when it comes to anything carrot cake. Then I need to make them the right way to hide away for myself hehe
Hi Lizzy, all look amazing and your whoopies sooo good!
Oooh this cookie looks so delicious! I love that you did a sweet treat with the ginger =)
Whoopie Pies! What a GREAT idea! I didn’t enter this month’s Improv challenge – but whoopie pies were not what I thought of when I saw veggies! BRAVO, Liz!
Whoopie pies are one of the next things on mu list of things I want to try baking… maybe these will be my first! They look delicious!
I LOVE THAT FLAVOR COMBINATION!! I’ve never had it in a dessert and wow. your photos make me really wanna try it!
A huge slice of carrot cake can be daunting, but in cookie size? Hello perfection!
wow these are super rich in flavor and wish I had some of these right now!!!
Your cookies look amazing! I love carrot cake and your little sandwiches look perfect to satisfy the carrot cake craving!! Going to book mark this. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!!
my google reader is crazy, I had different titles from what you posted, this looks fabulous!
Congrats by your post N° 500 dear Lizzy!!
Aw, thanks, Gloria!!! xo
Genius (again!)!!!!!
Yum! Liz these look amazing! Thanks for stopping by my Carrot Cake ICe Cream!
How could anyone resist carrot whoopie pies? Yours look awesome!
Carrot cake ANYTHING is my favorite!!
those look so yummy!
Lizzy, these are so cute! I love how you can see little bits of carrot peeking through the tops of the cookies
I probably would add the coconut cause I love the flavor…
What beautiful looking whoopies – that’s a word I haven’t heard of before! They look like little cake biscuits. I’m sure they didn’t last long – they look too delicious.
These are just adorable, Lizzy! I could eat these all the time… Carrot and cream cheese are so perfect together… I doubt my husband would eat these though… well, just means there’ll be more for me! Thanks for sharing
Great post!
Love your whoopie pies! Incredible! Gotto go through some of those linked up recipes. They look wonderful!
Liz,
these are so beautiful and I am so impressed with your creativity! Nice job!
I’m not usually a big fan of ginger, but I think I would like it in a dessert as delicious-looking as these whoopies!
Beautiful presentation, delicious recipe – I say well done, Lizzy!
I’ve never had a whoopee pie before. maybe it’s time I change that.
One of the cutest and loveliest whoopie pies I have seen!
Oh Lizzy, how very sweet!
These are so cute…carrot and ginger goes amazingly well together…:-)
i would not mind hoarding these at all. let me know if you ran out of space in your freezer, there’s plenty in mine
I’ve never tried a cake with carrots but I’d like to! They look lovely!
Beautiful recipe…two cakes in one! I save it in my to do list, thank’s for sharing!:)
Yummy yummy yummy!! This looks so amazing. I love that you used something different in your whoopie pies. I LOVE carrots!
So awesome! You combined my two favorite things…carrot cake and whoopie pies, HELLO! I’m dying here!
Yep, I just had to pin these! Wonderful!
These are too amazing – you make speak of portion control but with such a fabulous recipe, I am bound to eat at least 20
Yet again you unveil your genius
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
I would have never thought to make whoopie pies out of those ingredients. They look beautiful. I love the little bits of carrot.
Lizzy, These look wonderful! Carrot cake whoopie pies…yum!
GREAT job on these! I love whoopie pies…chocolate, or not! =)
So funny that we made the same thing, and from the same recipe! Aren’t they delicious? Yours are beautiful!!
Finally catching up! While utterly predictably delicious and indulgent, also super creative!
I’d love for this to be my inaugural whoopie pie!
Looks like I am late to this party! What a great flavor for whoopie pies. With that recipe only making 15, I am afraid they’d have been gone in about 5 minutes in my house. Everyone loves carrot cake and everyone loves cookie sandwiches. This is a real winner!
Oh, this sounds like a lovely combination of flavors! I have never had a whoopie pie and I really want to try them. These sound like just my thing
Delicious!
Whoopie pies are the bomb! And a carrot cake version? Yum! I’d be hiding them in the freezer so no one else could have one.
Carrot cake is my favorite cake so I know I would LOVE this! Great flavor combination and, as always, great pictures!
Whoopie Pies are such fun and I love this flavor combination! They look fantastic
These look wonderful Liz. What a great combination. The photos are stunning.
Carrot and ginger – new to me. Thanks, Lizzy.
Lizzy, although this may seem inappropriate and perhaps ridiculous at this point in your blogging career, I have nominated your blog for a Liebster award because I think you and your blog are awesome and quite deserving of even more love. Check my blog for details and please do pass on the torch to others…
This was a great challenge and I you did a super-duper job. I have know idea why I haven’t eaten or made a whoopie pie, but yours is pulling me in. Great job Lizzy!
I love the flavor combination! Thank you so much for sharing at Mix it up Monday
I love the combination of spices in these cookies and their name kind of sums it all up! They look so good too!
mm, these look adorable! They remind me of macaroons although they’re different. Thanks for sharing this.
Caterers in Manchester